Yarn breaking device



Dec. 29, 1964 D. E. FISHER ETAL YARN BREAKING DEVICE Filed June 25, 1963 INVENTORS D. E. Fl SHE R HILLS J.R.W|LL|AMS B 4mm TTORNEY United States Patent 3,163,341 YARN BREAKWG DEVEUE Ben E. Fisher and William H. Eensacola, Fla, and James R. Williams, Robertsdale, Alla assignors to Monsanto Company, a corporation of Eelaware Filed June 25, 1963, Ser. No. 299,561 Claims. (or. ass-res) This invention relates to devices for breaking filaments and yarns and, more particularly, relates to a yarn breaking device adapted to respond to an electrical signal to wrap a yarn moving under tension to effect a break therein.

In textile winding and reeling practices severing or cutting devices are employed to abort or stop the travel of a continuous yarn traveling to machine components such as rolls and guides when operative problems are encountered. Typical yarn severing devices use a guillotine blade or knife edge means adapted to contact and cut a yarn. Such conventional cutting tools become dull with use thereby reducing their reliability and efiiciency.

It is an object of this invention to provide a yarn breaking device simple in construction and adapted to apply a wrapping force to a tensioned yarn to cause the yarn to break.

Another object of this invention is to provide a controlled yarn breaking device including roll means for breaking a yarn.

A further object is to provide a yarn breaking device which requires a minimum of maintenance and which is reliable in operation.

According to a preferred construction, the yarn breakingdevice embodying the invention comprises, in brief, a shaft or spindle rotatably mounted in a casing so that the ends project outwardly therefrom. One end of the shaft is bifurcated providing an accessible slot through which a yan traveling under tension is normally positioned. The opposite end of the shaft is provided with handle means to permit manual rotation or cranking thereof. A resilient torsion member is mounted about the shaft and is operatively adapted to be stressedwhen the shaft is cranked or rotated in one direction thereby applying a reverse torque force to the shaft. The shaft is locked in its torqued 'or loaded position, with the torsion member stressed, by locking means arranged on the shaft, and is unlocked or triggered so as to rotate or unwind counter to said one direction by controlled electrically actuated release or trigger means. When the shaft unwinds, the yarn accommodated in the bifurcated end thereof is wrapped around the shaft and is instantly broken.

A preferred embodiment-of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing and is described in detail in the description which follows.

In'the drawing:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the yarn breaking device embodying the invention shown in operative association with typical yarn processing equipment;

FIGURE 2 is a plan view of the yarn breaking device shown in FEGURE 1 with the cover of the casing removed;

FIGURE 3 is a front elevation view of the yarn breaking device with casing portions removed; and

FIGURE 4 is a side elevation view of'the yarn breaking device, as viewed from the left side of FEGURE 2, with casing portions removed.

problems.

3,153,341 Patented Dec. 29,1964

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3 between a pair of contacting feed rolls 4 and 5 driven at a predetermined rate of speed and extended therefrom to a draw roll 6 driven at a higher rate of speed causing the yarn to stretch therebetwee'n; the stretching of the yarn being localized by a draw pin 7 positioned in the yarn path between rolls 4, 5 and 6. The yarn 1a further travels to a yarn twisting unit (not shown) and is thereafter collected on bobbins.

In this typical process the yarn often succumbs to tension forces and breaks remote from the package 2 and then continues to wrap undesirably around the rolls, guides, and other components and presents maintenance By installing a yarn breaking device 1 near package 2, it is possible to quickly break the yarn and to prevent undesirable take-up of the yarn on the components of a machine.

T he yarn breakingdevice 1 as shown in FIGURES 1-4, comprises a shaft or spindle 8 journaled intermediate its ends in suitably provided bushings in spaced side walls 9 zmd 1b of a casing or housing 11. The ends of shaft 3 project outwardly from casing 11, and one end of the shaft has an inwardly extending slot 12 providing a forked or bifurcated shaft end with an accessible opening for accommodating or threading the yarn 1a. The opposite end has a handle 13 to permit manual rotation or cranking of the shaft. L

A helical resilient torsion member such as a spring '14 is coaXi-ally mounted about shafts between walls 9 and 10 and is fixed at one end to shaft 8 while the opposite end is secured to wall '9. By manually turning shaft 8 at the handle 13 end thereof min a clockwise direction when viewed from the left side of device 1 in FIGURE 1 against the resistance of spring 14, spring 14 is wound about shaft 8 and thereby stressed or torsioned so as to apply a reverse or counterclockwise rotational torque force to shaft 8. v

A solenoid 15 of conventional construction having lead wires 16 extending therefrom and adapted by common plug means 17 to be' connected to a source of electricity is fixed in casing 11. Solenoid 15 has a reciprocable plunger 18 positioned therein for movement toward and away from shaft 8. Movement of plunger 18 in and out of solenoid 15 is elfected in a conventional manner by attraction of plunger 18 when the electrical circuit is closed and by bias means (not shown) when the circuit is broken, respectively. A spring loaded button switch 190i common type is interposed in the lead wires ldand is operable when the button is pushed inward to close the circuit leading to solenoid 15 for operatively retracting plunger 18 to a position away from shaft 3 and when in a normal biased outward position to break the circuit so that the plunger -18 is biasedtowards shaft 8, as viewed in FIGURE 2.

A release or trigger member Zll which may be a plate as illustrated in the drawing, made of a spring fiexible material is positioned in casing 11 between casing side walls 9 and 10 with one face thereof in substantial parallel alignment with the longitudinal axis of shaftfiy-PIG- URE 3, and is preferably pivotaliy connected at one end thereof'to wall 1.9 while the opposite end is free to move.

Releaseplate-Zll, intermediate its ends thereof, is secured to plunger 18 and is carried away from shaft '8 when solenoid 15 is energized and towardshaft 8 when the cirby torsion spring E lis-locked in the torqued position by. 'apair of oppositely disposed lugs Zion shaft 8 formed by extending a pin substantially transversely through shaft; 7

8 preferably at a slight angle to the longitudinal axis thereof. The lugs project for a length slightly greater than the spaced distance of member 2% from shaft 8 (FIGURE 2) when the latter member is biased toward the shaft as when the electrical circuit to solenoid 15 is broken. The ends of lugs 21 are tapered so that when shaft 8 is manually rotated each lug is successively carried into engagement with the face or side of release member 20. Each lug 21 when brought into contact with the face of member 20 pushes member 2%) progressively further away from shaft 8 until the lug 21 is rotated to a degree where it is disengaged from the face of member 20 at which time the latter member is again biased toward shaft 8. If shaft 8 is not rotated further, the shaft will be locked against rotation in the opposite direction from the direction it was manually cranked by. lug 21 abutting against the bottom edge of member 20 as shown in FIGURES 2 and 3. Shaft 8 can be locked each time it is turned 180 when two lugs are provided and after each 360 rotation,

in the manner explained, if one lug is provided. The bottom edge of member 20 is preferably aligned with the axis of shaft 8 as viewed in FIGURE 3 for a given length in the operating zone of lugs 21.

In operation, filament breaking device 1 is located in the path of the yarn 1a traveling under tension and in close adjacency to the supply source 2. Device 1 is connected by means of plug 17 to a source of electrical energy, and with switch 19 normally being in an o position with the button thereof biased outward, solenoid will operatively bias release member 20 toward shaft 8 into the rotating plane of lugs 21. Shaft 8 is then manually cranked or rotated by means of handle 13 in a clockwise direction as viewed in FIGURE 1 for stressing or applying a torsion force to spring714. As shaft 8 is rotated lugs 21 are moved successively into contact with the face of member 20. Each lug 21 displaces member 20 progressively further away from shaft 8 until'the lug reaches the lower edge of member 20 (FIG. 3) at which time lug 21 is disengaged from the face of member 29 and member 20 is biased toward shaft 8. Having'turned shaft 8 a number of turns to properly torsion spring 14, handle 13 is released; counter-rotation of shaft 8 is prevented by lug 21 being trapped and locked under the edge of member 20.

If desired to prevent over-tensioning spring 14 for operational and safety reasons, the end of spring 14 is fixed on shaft 8 at a predetermined spaced distance from wall 10, as viewed in FIG. 3, and a tab or lug 22 positioned substantially perpendicular to the axis of shaft 8 is provided on casing 11 below spring 14. .With such an arrangement, as shaft 8 is manually cranked for tensioning spring 14, shaft 8 will be shifted to the right carrying lugs 21 in the same direction. Tab 22 is located in a predetermined position, depending on the limit tension or Assume now that the yarn is traveling under tension,

from guide 3 to rolls 4, 5 and 6 and a yarn break occurs in an area below roll 6; the yarn then is prevented from wrapping on rolls 4, 5 and 6 and pin 7 by pushing the button on switch 19 inward to the on. position for energiziing solenoid 15. Plunger 18 is then retracted or moved away from shaft 8, FIG. 2, carrying release member 20 away from lug 21 thus releasing spring 14 from its locked tensioned condition. The bifurcated end of shaft 8 then rapidly rotates in a clockwise direction, as viewed from the right side thereof in FIG-1, and the yarn 1a passing through slot 12 is wrapped around shaft 8' and is instantly broken operatively by the rolls 4, and 5 nipping and pulling the yarn in a direction opposite from the force applied to the yarn by shaft 8.

The yarn breaking device is simple in construction and requires a minimum of maintenance.

It will thus be seen that the objects set forth above, among those made apparent from the preceding description, are efiiciently attained. Variations and modifications in the specific construction described are contemplated within the scope of the invention and it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawing shall be interpreted as illustrative and only be limited by the scope of the following claims.

We claim:

1. A yarn breaking device comprising:

(a) casing means,

(l2) rotatable means supported intermediate its ends in said casing means and adapted to be cranked,

(c) yarn threading means formed in said rotatable means,

(d) torsion means mounted about said rotatable means and arranged to be stressed when said rotatable means is cranked in one direction for torquing said rotatable means,

(e) locking means on said rotatable means,

(1) control means operatively connected to said locking means for locking said rotatable means in its torqued position and for selectively releasing said rotatable means from the locked torqued position whereby said torsion means imparts rotation to said rotatable means in a reverse direction from said one direction for operatively wrapping and breaking a yarn normally traveling under tension and threaded through said yarn threading means.

2. A yarn breaking device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said rotatable means is a shaft.

3. A yarn breaking device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said threading means is a slot formed in said rotatable means.

4. A yarn breaking device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said torsion means comprises a spring.

5. A yarn breaking device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said control means comprises a selectively energizable solenoid having a plunger normally biased toward said rotatable means and biased therefrom when said solenoid is energized, said plunger having a release member secured thereto which engages with said locking means for locking said rotatable means in its torqued position when said plunger is biased toward said rotatable means and is disengaged from said locking means for releasing said rotatable means from its torqued condition when said plunger is biased therefrom.

6. A yarn breaking device as claimed in claim 5, wherein said release member comprises a plate of spring material secured to said plunger and pivoted at its one end to said casing means while its opposite end is free to move.

7. A yarn breaking deviceas claimed in claim 1, wherein said locking means comprises a pin extending substantially perpendicularly fromthe axis of said shaft.

8. A yarn breaking device as claimed in claim 1, further comprising means on said casing means for limiting the degree of stress applied to said torsion means.

9. A yarn breaking device comprising:

(a) a casing, l

(b) a bifurcated shaft provided withan inwardly extending slot at one end thereof normally having a yarn traveling under tension positioned therein and being rotatably supported intermediate its ends thereof in said casing, r

(c) a handle arranged on said bifurcated shaft opposite said one end thereof provided with a slot,

7 (d) a spring mounted coaxially about said bifurcated shaft and secured to-said bifurcated shaft and to said casing so as to be stressed when said bifurcated shaft is cranked in one direction for torquing said bifurcated shaft,

(e) a plurality of lock pins extending substantially perpendicularly from the axis of said bifurcated shaft,

(f) a solenoid having a reciprocable plunger mounted on said casing and adapted to be connected to a source of electrical energy,

(g) means for energizing and tie-energizing said solenoid so that said solenoid plunger is operatively biased toward said bifurcated shaft when said solenoid is de-energized, and therefrom when energized,

(h) a trigger plate of spring material secured to said plunger of said solenoid and pivotally connected to said casing;

(i) said trigger plate normally being positioned in the rotating plane of said plurality of lock pins for locking said shaft against rotation in a reverse direction from said one direction when said solenoid is de-energized and actuated away from the rotational plane of said plurality of lock pins when said solenoid is energized for permitting said bifurcated shaft to rotate in said reverse direction causing said yarn positioned Within said slot to wrap about said bifurcated ther comprising nipping, roll means positioned near said" slotted end of said bifurcated shaft for nipping the yarn normally traveling from said'slot of said bifurcated shaft to said nipping roll means.

References Qited in the file of this patent UNrT D STATES PATENTS Wildi July 9, 1963 

1. A YARN BREAKING DEVICE COMPRISING: (A) CASING MEANS, (B) ROTATABLE MEANS SUPPORTED INTERMEDIATE ITS ENDS IN SAID CASING MEANS AND ADAPTED TO BE CRANKED, (C) YARN THREADING MEANS FORMED IN SAID ROTATABLE MEANS, (D) TORSION MEANS MOUNTED ABOUT SAID ROTATABLE MEANS AND ARRANGED TO BE STRESSED WHEN SAID ROTATABLE MEANS IS CRANKED IN ONE DIRECTION FOR TORQUING SAID ROTATABLE MEANS, (E) LOCKING MEANS ON SAID ROTATABLE MEANS, (F) CONTROL MEANS OPERATIVELY CONNECTED TO SAID LOCKING MEANS FOR LOCKING SAID ROTATABLE MEANS IN ITS TORQUED POSITION AND FOR SELECTIVELY RELEASING SAID ROTATABLE MEANS FROM THE LOCKED TORQUED POSITION WHEREBY SAID TORSION MEANS IMPARTS ROTATION TO SAID ROTATABLE MEANS IN A REVERSE DIRECTION FROM SAID ONE DIRECTION FOR OPERATIVELY WRAPPING AND BREAKING A YARN NORMALLY TRAVELING UNDER TENSION AND THREADED THROUGH SAID YARN THREADING MEANS. 